Circular Ocean-bound Plastic

Another amazing physical partner meeting!🌊🙌 This time we gathered in the beautiful city of Rostock/Warnemünde for some great workshops and site visit to the harbour where Leibniz-Institut für Ostseeforschung Warnemünde and Universität Rostock have installed portbins to collect and analyse the waste in Rostock harbour🗑🔍 It has been great to see the now familiar faces of our partners (and a few new faces!) 😍 It's always a pleasure and so inspiring to get together and share results, ideas and laughs! Thanks to Leibniz-Institut für Ostseeforschung Warnemünde for hosting our workshop and to the participating partners for once again bringing great energy and engagement! Universität Rostock, Uniwersytet Gdański, Gdansk Sports Center, Ocean Plastic Forum, Clean, Plast Center Danmark, Sustainable Business Hub The project is funded by Interreg South Baltic Programme #COPforCleanSeas #SailingTogether #InterregSouthBaltic #EU #Rostock #oceanboundplastic #BalticSea

https://lnkd.in/dfy_XfTp An Interview on the results of our waste sampling in Rostock’s city harbour. We are doing this research in the frame of the Interreg South Baltic project Circular Ocean-bound Plastic .

🌊 Happy #BalticSeaDay 🌊 Today, we recognize the importance of the Baltic Sea, a crucial resource for our communities, ecosystems, and economies. Unfortunately the Baltic Sea is one of the most polluted seas in the World and most of its pollution originates from landbased activities. It is crucial that we take action to save this vulnerable and unique ecosystem. At the COP Project, we’re dedicated to finding solutions to plastic pollution and promoting cleaner waters across the South Baltic region. From our ongoing work in Aarhus, Gdansk, and Rostock, to the efforts of many others around the Baltic, every action counts. Together, we can help protect and preserve this vital sea for future generations 🙏🌍 🌐💧 If you want to be part of a knowledge sharing network with others who are interested in tackling the challenge of plastics in the ocean and water, then join the Ocean Plastic Hub to stay in the loop: https://lnkd.in/dFp8neh3 #COPProject #OceanConservation #PlasticPollution #SustainableBaltic #SouthBaltic

🌍 This summer our partners in Rostock Universität Rostock and Leibniz-Institut für Ostseeforschung Warnemünde, supported by the Harbor and Maritime Office of the City of Rostock, installed waste containers for collecting plastic waste from the Warnow River in Rostock’s city harbor. These waste collectors, called PortBins, capture plastic waste before it reaches the Baltic Sea and become marine litter 🌊 “With the PortBins, we can not only remove current waste from the Warnow but also gather valuable data that will help us find long-term solutions,” says Mona-Maria Narra, project leader at the University of Rostock. Over the next year, our colleagues from the University of Rostock and the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde (IOW) will examine the quantities and types of waste, as well as the origin of the litter. These analyses will help develop strategies for waste prevention 🙏♻ Watch the video (in German) below to see how the PortBin works! 💧🗑

After a very wet Friday, we are excited to welcome the sun for the third day of our participation in the HanseSail Festival in Rostock! 🌊☀ We are thrilled to have Mona-Maria Narra from Universität Rostock and Mirco Haseler from Leibniz-Institut für Ostseeforschung Warnemünde representing the COP project and teaching the youngest festival-goers about the importance of tackling ocean plastic pollution in a fun and engaging way. The children are invited to dig in the sand for natural treasures like shells—but often, they find plastic waste instead 🐚🥤 This hands-on activity leads to important discussions about what belongs on the beach and what doesn’t, and more importantly, what we can do to prevent plastic pollution in our oceans. We’re also hosting a children’s quiz on waste and ocean plastic twice a day, where young participants have the chance to win a trip aboard the University of Rostock’s research vessel, Limanda. Additionally, Mona and Mirco have hosted public bin emptying and Q&A sessions on our project and the port bins that are helping to keep the Rostock City Harbour clean. It’s a great chance to ask questions and learn more about how we’re working to combat ocean-bound plastic waste. We have one more day left of HanseSail Festival, so come by and say hi! 🌍 #COPProject #HanseSail2024 #COPforCleanSeas #InterregSouthBaltic #SailingTogether #PlasticPollution #CommunityEngagement #YouthInvolvement #Limanda

🌍 COP Project: Active in Aarhus, Gdansk, and Rostock! 🌍 We are thrilled to share updates from the Circular Ocean-bound Plastic (COP) Project as we dive into practical activities in our three pilot cities: Aarhus, Gdansk, and Rostock. Our local partners are on the ground, working hard to collect and analyse ocean-bound plastic waste, with a focus on understanding waste patterns over the next year. Here’s what we’re up to: 🔹 Aarhus, Denmark: In collaboration with Aarhus municipality, we have started to collect and analyse waste from the SeaProtectorOne barrier from All in On Green, which is installed in the canal to efficiently gather ocean-bound plastic. Our local partner, Plast Center Danmark, is conducting in-depth analysis of the collected waste to explore its properties and potential recycling avenues. 🔹 Gdansk, Poland: In a unique community initiative, residents are invited to use free kayaks to collect a bin of waste. This initiative, coordinated with City of Gdansk - Gdansk Sports Center and the University of Gdansk, allows the public to directly contribute to our cleanup efforts while enjoying a day on the water. 🔹 Rostock, Germany: The Universität Rostock and Leibniz-Institut für Ostseeforschung Warnemünde (IOW) have installed a port bin in the Rostock City Harbour, efficiently capturing waste. Recently, we engaged the community with our first public port bin emptying and Q&A session, fostering greater awareness and involvement. Upcoming Event: 📅 Join us at the HanseSail Festival from August 8-11! The University of Rostock and IOW will be representing the COP project, offering fun and educational activities for children and families. Come and see real waste collected in the Rostock Habour and learn about the impact of plastic waste and how we can all contribute to cleaner oceans. Stay tuned for more insights and results as we work towards a cleaner South Baltic Sea! #COPforCleanSeas #InterregSouthBaltic #SailingTogether #CommunityAction #HanseSail2024

✨🥳 Today we celebrate cooperation to build a better future for all! The 6th of July marks the International Day of Cooperatives, known as #CoopsDay, where we highlight the importance of cooperation to tackle challenges, protect the environment and make sustainable growth 🚀🌱 We are thrilled to see that our partners from e.g., Universität Rostock, University of Gdansk, Plast Center Danmark, Sustainable Business Hub, Ocean Plastic Forum and Clean tackle cross-border challenges such as plastic pollution in the South Baltic Sea. ♻ Right now, our partners are beginning to collect plastic waste from harbors in #Gdansk, #Aarhus, and #Rostock to analyze what type of plastic ends up in the Baltic Sea and how it can be transformed into valuable resources again. Together, we can create a cleaner, more sustainable future for all! 🙌 Thank you to Interreg South Baltic Programme for co-funding the COP-project! If you want to know more about the Circular Ocean-bound Plastic project, you can check out our website: https://lnkd.in/dFmUWVE3 #InterregSouthBaltic #SustainableDevelopment #CircularEconomy

🤔 Did you know...   that to tackle the challenges of plastics in the ocean, we need a network to share knowledge and solutions?   🙌 Within our project, we have created just that network and space! We call it the “Ocean Plastic Hub,” and here, you can find relevant information, reports, and opportunities. You can also add and share your knowledge so we can minimize plastic in the ocean, rivers, and lakes together.   ♻ Each year, millions of tons of plastic end up in the ocean, and a lot of it comes from urban areas. By reducing the plastic waste and share innovative solutions we can minimize the amount and help having cleaner oceans.   👉 If you want to join the network and find relevant knowledge you can join for free right here: https://lnkd.in/dSAZp4ua   The network is created in cooperation with PlastTrack-Interreg Deutschland-Danmark and the Interreg South Baltic project Circular Ocean-bound Plastic (COP). The network is part of Cleantech Connect. #CircularOceanBoundPlastic #COPforCleanSeas #InterregSouthBaltic 🌊

Yesterday on Sunday, May 26, the Hevelianum Center opened to science lovers, hosting them at Fahrenheit Science Picnic. The COP stand appeared at the event for the first time 🔬☀ It must be admitted that it was really popular! In a picnic atmosphere, we spread awareness of the growing pollution crisis of the Baltic Sea. Many volunteers (both younger and older) bravely fished out garbage from our swimming pool sea and shared their observations on what we can do to improve waste management in our region 🎣 It was a great day. Thank you to everyone who visited us by our stand! ✨ The COP project was represented at the event by our great partners Emilia Gontarek-Castro and Anna Gołąbiewska from University of Gdansk The COP project is co-funded by Interreg South Baltic Programme #SailingTogether #SciencePicnic #COPforCleanSeas

🌐 Partner spotlight: University of Gdansk This time, we turn to one of our Polish partner, who plays a key role in the Circular Ocean-bound Plastic (COP) project, University of Gdansk! In our project, the University of Gdansk contributes to the identification, analysis and characterisation of collected plastic waste, and carries out chemical recycling of waste fractions of insufficient quality to be subjected to mechanical methods. The COP project is being carried out in the Department of Environmental Technology 🌍📣 To carry out these tasks, we are fortunate to have Emilia, Anna, and Patrycja on the team. "For me, the COP project is a conduit for translating scientific knowledge into visible action, especially in the region where we live and feel the changes firsthand,” says Patrycja Jutrzenka Trzebiatowska. Dr. Patrycja, who is curretly on maternity leave, holds a Ph.D. in chemical technology. Her journey with chemical recycling of plastics began during her doctoral studies, and now she's excited to turn laboratory experiments into practice. With a Ph.D. in chemical sciences from Gdańsk University of Technology, and research interest in the general area of the water‐energy‐environment nexus, we are also happy to have the expertise of Emilia Gontarek-Castro on the team! Emilia’s research specifically involves membrane processes for water desalination as well as the development of next-generation materials for environmental applications. On being part of the COP project, Emilia says “We are currently confronting a significant plastic pollution crisis, and we need a collective response from global citizens to safeguard our planet. For me it is so inspiring to be involved in such a purposeful project. Investing my time into something that is not only my work but also the vision for a better future serves as a daily source of motivation.” Last but not least, Dr. Anna Gołąbiewska – assistant professor at the Department of Environmental Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdańsk, plays a key role in our project. "In the COP project, I can pursue my scientific passions and contribute to solve environmental problems," she says. Anna is the author of several articles published from the JCR list, a chapter in a scientific monograph published by Elsevier, co-author of several patents granted by the Patent Office of the Republic of Poland, and international patents. Anna has participated in many research projects and research and development projects implemented with the industry. You can meet Emilia and Anna at the Fahrenheit Science Picnic this Sunday, May 26th, where they will be ready with fun, quizzes, and intriguing information for all ages. Look for tent number 9! Find out more about the Science Picnic here: https://lnkd.in/dbaMjpYY 👏 Many thanks to University of Gdansk for contributing with essential knowledge and expertise to our journey. 🤝🚀 #PartnerSpotlight #SailingTogether #InterregSouthBaltic #COPforCleanSeas